In all seriousness - of course they don't have the first clue about architecture. How could they? (even the ones with a gleam of talent...)
Show them what you think the box is and give them tools to go outside it. Why not spoon feed? Whats wrong with someone needing to be told or directed? How should they know what a concept is, let alone an architectural concept? Make that a deliberate question to answer and for those with no curiosity - make it a requirement for their grades. Yup, sucks when studio turns into grade school, but some kids don't care, at least until they find a thing about which they can even grasp and be curious about. And one can only digest so much in a semester, really.
As to asking too much - I'm sure you are. But why set the bar low? Of course I think that demands that you give more as their teacher, and not simply have tremendously high standards.
Or just light everyone's models on fire when they're out of the room and keep a pocket full of quarters to throw.
Just some thoughts.
Good luck with your semester.

the only motivation i'd recommend giving students is the motivation to get out of architecture.

I am with puddles. Not interested now, will never be.



This is the problem with not teaching at a top tier school - you'll just pull your hair out trying to get half decent work out of them.

I'd give them some tough assignments. That's the only way to make a breakthrough, I think. Keep pushing, highlight those that do something decent, push more, etc.

I look back at beginning classes and the ones that made a big difference in teh students, myself included, had an extremely, almost impossible (physically) schedule. People dropped out left and right.

I vividly recall us staying up all night to get a site model built (no design, just chipboard model). He came in, looked at it, and said 'this is crap, rebuild it'. There went our Thanksgiving holiday. Crazy, perhaps, but we didn't build a bad model after that.

They are kids, you need to encourage rising above the norm. They are used to our lousy standardized system of monotony, break that!


Problem is, if you have a bunch of lazy punks, they'll just rebel, not stay up to finish, and nobody wins (you look bad, people complain about you working them too hard, etc.).



Back to the beginning, tell them it isn't for everyone, takes absurd's amount of work to get good, not everyone has talent hidden, etc., etc.

With a very small number of students no matter what you do you won't be able to reach them - either they aren't smart enough or just don't care. With the students where this a glimmer of hope:

first - if you feel like they don't understand what something is or how to go about doing it, TEACH THEM. You'll quickly discover how well you understand it yourself.

second - let them know it's ok to repeat ideas or explorations they've found somewhere else. encourage them to go to the library and pull books off shelves or develop an activity where they draw inspiration from somewhere outside of class - kids these days have a much harder time going off the beaten path than they used to - they spend most of their time trying to figure out what you want instead of developing their own process. It's up to you to push them to not worry so much that they are doing the "right thing." you want them to make mistakes and hit dead-ends as long as they are exploring something, right?

third - you have to teach them how to go about developing a concept - give them examples of how others have gone about it (I've typically used stephen Holl as an example because he's published several of his explorations) - maybe even give them a similar exercise in relation to the project, and then test to see if they can develop their own process... again - some students will pick this up more quickly than others.

fourth - make a huge deal when someone brings in a lot of work and explain to your class why this is good - reiterate that it wasn't specific things they did, but the fact that they developed a process and pushed it.

lastly - there are two things students look for in a good teacher - authority and authenticity - if they think you know your shit, that'll motivate some students. with the rest you have to let them know you are on their side and you are there to support their education. They also need to understand how what they are doing in your studio fits into the big picture, and sometimes framing an assignment in these terms helps them see the value in the work they are doing.

good luck with your semester!

one of the best motivators for me was when a professor showed me some work from a "rival" architecture school that was significantly better than ours. show them some examples of what you expect from first year students, and don't be afraid to set the bar high. it doesn't necessarily have to be student work either. show them some of ando's drawings, steven holl water colors, or some of richard meier's models. most of these students haven't been exposed to architecture, and you are tasked with introducing them to another world. at my school we had an impressive archive of drawings by paul schwieker and mies that proved to be a great influence. see if you have something like that in the library and SHOW them. show them where the art and architecture books and magazines are and this can be an influence to them. maybe do a short slideshow of abstract expressionism, whatever.

i'm sure there's a student art gallery somewhere on campus, so make sure that they visit. remember, these are young students, so their unproductiveness isn't as a result of having worked for a lazy architect or being jaded by the banality of the profession. they probably just don't know where the bar is, and most of them don't even know what they're capable of. honestly, at this point i wouldn't worry too much about a thesis. better students will be able to intuitively generate a project around a single idea; some of your other students seem like they just need to work on creativity and craftsmanship.

you don't have to be mean, but they have obligations to uphold as well, to you and to themselves. they are spending an incredible amount of money to be there. let them know that if they aren't putting in the effort, then they are wasting your time and their own as well. if they put a lot of work into the semester, and still don't get anywhere, then they will figure out architecture is not for them on their own. but they're never going to know if they don't try, and you aren't doing them any favors by giving up on them. when i look back to my first year work, it's amazing i ever became an architect at all.

What's your curriculum?

That's key.

Handouts are NOT enough.

Tell us more! :-)

Of course first year students don't know what a thesis or a concept are. These are things that need to be taught. You can't expect young students to wander into you studio fully formed. They need to be brought along.

You need to equip them with tools. It's not about spoon feeding, but rather about guiding and provoking. By giving them tools, you are equiping them to take the next step.

I'll second the examples. Columbia Abstracts from the early 90s were amazing. After that they went to shit (as Maya replaced physical models).

Also encourage them to look at upper class work, talk with them, etc. Process is crucial, make sure that you are emphasizing basics. There is no need to even think about buildings for the first year, at least.

Wow k4dm, are you serious?

Its a freshman level studio, always remember that only about 1/10 of them are going to make it all the way to fifth year thesis and of that 1/10 of them will actually have real "talent" and of that 1/10 only about 1/100 may go on to start their own firms and of that 1/100 maybe only 1/1000 will make it big. Every student, starting out, cannot think for themselves, they aren't used to it. They are used to being given a simple set of parameters to meet and then meeting them. They are used to being spoon fed bullshit, that's what high school is all about. Its your job to make them see differently, but for the most part they wont be able to start thinking truly independently until maybe 4th year. The only way to start this process is the old-fashioned way, have them do a new study model for every studio and then threaten them with F's constantly to get them to work. If they actually don't work and they don't present then you must actually fail them at the end of the semester. Be a hardass, they will hate you for it, but it must be done. Also don't be afraid to give advice and then don't come off offended when the actually follow your advice. Your a teacher, teach. At the end of it all the ones that do survive will realize what you were trying to do and thank you for it.

If you need inspiration, you can watch the first half of Full Metal Jacket and take your cues from Sgt. Hartman.

the only motivation i'd recommend giving people who seem to lack the skills, temperament and motivations of a good teacher is the motivation to get out of teaching architecture.

maybe you're too hung-up on your own performance as the teacher to recognize the needs of the students...your frustration and lack of inspiration maybe contagious...students generally look for guidance and approval at this stage and can probably smell/see your disappointment. ...reevaluate your role as the teacher...also, "knee jerk reactions" are typically defensive moves and reflect on a lack communication between everyone...get the students critiquing each other and you can facilitate the discussion...shit, it's likely that if you are concerning yourself with "concepts" and "talent" at this point you may be talking over there heads...Try being a peer or a mentor...get back on their level...

"they can't design a paper box if they tried. I feel sorry for them"

sorry, but you probably need to adjust your attitude.

One could think of it this way: Your performance as a first-year prof is likely on par with the performance of your first-year students. They're talking behind your back right now about how much you expect from them (without any clear guidance on how they should get there), etc....

I TA and if any of my first-year students (not even in the architecture stream yet) have questions, I meet them after class hours. I don't assume they know anything - and I explain to them that I don't know everything, either. But by taking the time with students to understand where they're coming from, you're better able to guide them.

Using an analogy, it's like teasing with a carrot vs. hitting with a stick. Your students are going to meet your expectations, whether good or bad.

Full Metal Jacket huh, wait, what happens to Sgt. Hartman again?

OH YEAH, the student that he rode so hard, SHOOTS AND KILLS HIM!!! And then BLOWS HIS HEAD OFF.
Great Idea!!

Seriously, "tough love", horseshit, you may have to caudal these kids. They have NO FUCKING CLUE what is going on in this new world of "architecture" and getting angry at them because they seem lost definitely is NOT helping, you need to be guide a "peer or mentor" as danger said.

NOT A DRILL SARGENT or SLAVE DRIVER! This isn't Parris Island, it is studio, a place that promotes learning, communication, individualism, and creativity. BOOT CAMP is meant to tear the recruits down and build them up in their vision. Dont do that.

YOU need to look at how YOU are treating studio and specifically your students. Sounds to me like YOU are the one who needs motivation, and all of u above who said architecture school isn't for everyone....neither is teaching....just an observation

I am not sure what you expect out of the first semester of their first year in architecture school... or what work you are getting from them, but remember this is their first year...

They still are essentially high school kids... Many of them are doing their laundry for the first time. You can't expect too much out of them at all...

I also have found that if expectations are either too lofty or too vague, motivation levels will drop.

Maybe talk to older faculty and see how they keep students motivated. This is not a new problem I wouldn't imagine.

Its one thing if they are not motivated and are getting stuff done… it’s another when they show up for studio with assignments incomplete! Two of my students actually complete what was assigned for them at the beginning of the class and the rest are just behind. Now I have to see a project next week without any guidance from me. I can only imagine the SHIT I will see. A lot of them cannot even follow directions. It is not my problem. I gave them a lecture about how this was not acceptable. They have four weeks left in the semester and starting their first day behind and without any guidance from me. Its hard to give them advice when they have nothing to show me. Here I wanting to motivate them… and in turn I am displaying disappointment in all of them (except the 2 students that did their work… which I helped out to develop their project). I am not going to stress over it. Its not my education.

I am not expecting much from first year… however I am expecting a clear dedication and will for this profession. You can see it in the persons eyes and their designs. Even if its through hard work ethic and a little bit of design. That can develop later on. I am not saying I was Mr. Talented in school my first year. It was tough for me… still is… but I created interesting stuff and dedicated my heart my first year.

abc, the best profs i ever had were the ones who kicked my ass the hardest and the best work always done by the studios getting tortured the most. That's the way first couple years of studio are toots. Save you pansyassedness for thesis.

Oh, and by the way, i don't even teach, I'm still in school and that is my observation. The weak have NO PLACE here, and you want to know why? When you wind up working with those same assholes who just floated through school at a firm its always you that has to make up for their shortcomings and the same is true in later years in college.

Im still in school as well... and as much as I would like to agree, There is NO PLACE for Pricks either.

Im not some wide eyed no nothing that needs some holier than thou asshole telling me I suck to motivate me, quite the opposite. Workload being torturous and Professor being personally torturous are 2 TOTALLY different things.

I can understand having a workload that kicks your ass, naturally that is Architecture Studio. I am a firm believer in Karma, is someone doesnt put in the hours necessary THEY WILL GET THEIRS.

Apurimac, we must be wired different, I do not take kindly to people being disrespectful to me. However, if I misinterpreted and it was purely the workload that kicked ur ass I totally agree. But a Drill Sargent, please.

honestly I think too many early teachers are too nice. toughen up a little maybe? Obviously sometimes you have to be sensitive with a certain student, but I think most students benefit greatly from embarrassment. They have to learn to push themselves eventually, remember?

My professors were drill sergeants in quietly undermeaning ways. A simple red "F" on a drawing that took all weekend to put together and hours of work and research on my time is far more demeaning than being called a maggot by some redneck drill instructor. Quietly being told your work is shit and that if you don't step up you will all fail is psychologically damaging enough but the continual threat of failure does WONDERS to motivate students when the professor is actually willing to do it. My second semester prof had a much softer touch but the continual threat of fail was still there and all it took was a sigh or an ascance glance to tell you: "This is shit, and you can do better".

However, the biggest asshole prof in our whole school, who i never took, ran the best studio. His kids HATED him when they were in that class, but those who survived fell in love with him afterwords. Said asshole prof is actually teaching at the GSD now because even our administration basically told him he was pushing his kids and the schools facilities too far.

My reply post came off a bit harsh, probably because you thought I was one of those asshole profs, but man when I'm sittin next to some asshole who should've dropped out first semester and we gotta do work together, I always hate the professor who let em slip more than the kid I'm now partnered with.